CHAP: XV.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 301 



species, and, when young ones are wanted 

 to increase a stock, those of the harvest-flight 

 should be preferred ; for, being usually of 

 a stronger nature than those hatched in the 

 spring, and having the advantage of a long 

 winter before them ere they begin to breed, 

 their age fits them better for their parental 

 duties than the younger birds. They are 

 known to live twenty years ; but ten or 

 twelve are more common, and they are sel- 

 dom prolific after five years of age. 



The tame, domestic, blue dove-house jngeon, 

 commonly bred in our dove-cotes, is supposed 

 to have either originated from a cross for- 

 merly made between our native species and 

 birds introduced from France, or, more pro- 

 bably, the French breed was gradually adopted, 

 and finally perpetuated in this country as a 

 new or indigenous race ; for, as they lay 

 nearly every month, they are far more pro- 

 fitable than the old stock. Of whatever 

 species, however — whether tame or wild — 

 pigeons produce only two birds at a time ; 

 but, if well supplied with corn during the 

 winter and spring, it has been calculated 

 that from the progeny of a single pair breed- 



